The Rough Edge

I have a tiny, sharp chip
in the back of one of my molars
and every day,
my tongue keeps circling
that bumpy edge
like a dog returning
to where it buried something.

This edge doesn’t draw blood,
but it messes with my day.

My tongue keeps probing that rough spot
like nothing else in my mouth
deserves its attention.

I check my tooth every morning
before I walk into work
and press on the chip with my tongue
just to see if it has relaxed at all.

I thought eventually
I would leave it alone.